Episodes

  • AAA warns drivers to be careful leading up to "rutting season"

    AAA warns drivers to be careful leading up to "rutting season"
    Oct 15 2026
    New York's Class of 2026 had a higher mean SAT score than the national average and the state's highest participation rate since 2020, according to a Newsday analysis. Michael R. Ebert reports in NEWSDAY that data recently released by the College Board details how the more than 127,000 students who took the standardized exam in New York during the 2025-26 school year performed. Long Island-specific data was not available.New York’s test-takers achieved a mean SAT score of 1,053, up eight points from last year and outperforming the national mean for the fifth straight year. The national mean score for the Class of 2026 was 1,045.The last time that New York’s high schoolers underperformed when compared with the national mean score was in 2021. That year, students statewide had a mean score of 1,057, compared with the national mean score of 1,060, according to the College Board.New York’s mean score of 1,053 for 2026 was the highest among its SAT test-takers since 2022, while the percentage of students statewide in the highest-scoring subgroup was also the most since 2022.This year, 9% of students statewide had SAT scores between 1,400-1,600, equaling the national average. By comparison, New York’s percentage of students scoring 1,400-1,600 was 8% in 2024 and 2025, 7% for 2023, and 9% for 2022, according to the College Board.Statewide, high schoolers achieved higher scores on the SAT’s math portion this year with 11% of test-takers earning the highest scores of 700-800, while 9% of students achieved that mark in the test’s reading and writing portion. The 11% scoring at 700-800 in math was the state’s highest percentage since 2022, when that figure was also 11%, according to the College Board.A total of 127,180 high school seniors took the SAT in New York, representing 63% of all those eligible. That's the highest percentage since the Class of 2020, when 160,484, or 79%, of the state’s estimated population of high school graduates took the test, according to the College Board.The most popular intended major for New York’s SAT test-takers was business, followed by clinical sciences.***It's rutting season, and AAA Northeast is warning drivers to be careful out there — especially in rural Suffolk County.John Valenti reports in NEWSDAY that the annual deer mating season is one of the most hazardous times for drivers in the Northeast. One east end town, Southold, leads New York State in deer-related crashes between 2021 and 2024, AAA said in a statement yesterday.The number of Long Island crashes involving deer rose 75% over eight years to the highest level on record, Newsday reported earlier this year. While most of the crashes occur in Suffolk County, Nassau County's North Shore communities have also seen an uptick.The AAA said more than 40% of all deer-strike incidents occurred between September and December, prime rutting — or, mating — season for wild hoofed animals: deer, elk and moose.Between 2021 and 2024 the AAA said the Town of Southold recorded 790 crashes involving deer strikes by drivers, while 599 were recorded in Town of Brookhaven and 526 were tallied in the Town of Southampton. The three towns were among the top 10 municipalities in the state for deer strikes in that time period, AAA said.Statistics also found more than 20% of all deer crashes occurred in November, with drivers almost 2½ times more likely to be involved in a deer-related crash in November than any other month.The peak risk period for deer strikes is early morning and late-afternoon / early-evening, AAA said.Peak crash time frames are between 6 and 10 a.m. and between 3 and 7 p.m.AAA Northeast senior manager for public affairs Robert Sinclair Jr. said the natural inclination of drivers confronted with a deer in the road was to take evasive action to avoid a crash.The advice of experts? Don't overreact."If you're in an area where deer are prevalent — wooded areas, areas where you know there's wildlife — watch the side of the road, be aware," Sinclair said. "Especially, at dawn and dusk. Especially, at dusk, which is prime time for deer. ... And the big thing is do not swerve. If you swerve, you hit a tree, you hit a pole, you hit a car — maybe you even have a head-on collision."Terrible as this sounds, Sinclair said: "Most times, it's better to just hit the deer."And, Sinclair said, don't brake hard, either. "You hit the brakes hard and it causes the front end of the car to dive. That can allow a deer to roll up onto your hood and through the windshield. And that can kill you."As he said: "The best advice is just slow down. Be aware. Pay attention."***Greenport’s 36th Annual Maritime Festival is ready to set sail this coming weekend, staying true to its commitment to highlighting the nautical heritage of this seaside community. The event kicks off with the Friday night Land & Sea Gala, this year being held in the American Legion Hall on Third Street — a change in venue from Mitchell Park due to ...
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    10 mins
  • Democratic candidate for 1st Congressional District Chris Gallant sees fundraising increase after intimate photos go viral

    Democratic candidate for 1st Congressional District Chris Gallant sees fundraising increase after intimate photos go viral
    Oct 19 2026
    New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed into law Saturday a bill that quadruples tax credits for volunteer first responders.The bill, passed unanimously by the State Senate and Assembly earlier this year, raises the annual tax credit for volunteer firefighters and volunteer ambulance workers from $200 to $800. The benefit for married joint filers rose from $400 to $1,600.Joseph Ostapiuk reports in NEWSDAY that the signing delivered a legislative win for fire officials who say greater incentives are needed to stave off significant declines in the ranks of volunteer firefighters. The statewide force has declined one-third from 120,000 in the early 2000s to around 80,000, fire officials have said. While the decrease has stabilized in recent years, advocates said more has to be done to recruit young volunteers.Volunteer fire and elected officials said the tax-credit legislation will help retain firefighters and EMS members in departments on Long Island.Donald Farrell, president of the Firefighters Association of the State of New York, called the bill a "tremendous victory for New York's volunteer fire and EMS service.” Other recent bills aimed at improving volunteer recruitment and retention include legislation signed last year phasing out PFAS forever chemicals in firefighter protective equipment and extending the ability of fire department-run ambulances to recover costs of service from insurance companies through 2031.Improving incentives for volunteer first responders is needed to ensure there are enough people to respond to calls across the state, said Billy Theis, chairman of the Nassau and Suffolk Fire Districts Legislative Committee. A 2023 Firefighters Association of the State of New York (FASNY) analysis found a statewide paid firefighter service would cost $4.7 billion annually, triggering significant property tax increases."When we get the call, somebody's in trouble," Theis said before the bill signing. "We have to have the tools, we have to have the people to be there."***A New York-based pediatric health network and an IT management company will pay $2.7 million to New York and Connecticut after a data breach that impacted hundreds of thousands of residents, New York State Attorney General Letitia James' office said Friday.Brianne Ledda reports in NEWSDAY that James and Connecticut Attorney General William Tong secured the settlement from Boston Children's Health Physicians, which has two locations in Suffolk County, Long Island - Smithtown and Miller Place - and from XTIUM, which provided network security services to Boston Children's Health Physicians {BCHP}. The companies will pay $2.1 million to New York and $540,000 to Connecticut. Besides the payout, the settlement also requires the companies to strengthen data security and for BCHP to pay additional sums to the states if it does not comply.Impacted residents will have fraud alert coverage through the settlement, a state spokesperson said."Institutions trusted with sensitive private health data have a critical responsibility to protect it from bad actors," James said in a news release. "BCHP knew its data security features were inadequate but did not fix them, exposing the information of hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers to hackers."In an August 2024 breach, hackers accessed 18 of XTIUM's client networks, including BCHP's, stealing records for around 825,000 New York and 62,871 Connecticut residents, the state said. The stolen information included the Social Security and driver's license numbers of more than 170,000 New York residents.***The Express News Group’s Express Sessions series returns this coming Thursday, October 22, with a conversation on deer and tick control to identify solutions to reduce ecological damage and tickborne illness.Titled “Out of Control: How the East End Can Get a Grip on Deer & Tick Populations,” Thursday’s event will run from 12 noon to 2 p.m. at The American Hotel in Sag Harbor over lunch.The panel will include North Haven Village Trustee Claas Abraham, East Hampton Town Councilman Tom Flight, Dr. Sandeep Gandhi of the Regional Tick-Borne Disease Center at Stony Brook Southampton Hospital, New York State Assemblyman Tommy John Schiavoni and Michael Tessitore of Suffolk County Deer Management.Visit ExpressSessions102226.eventbrite.com for further info and to purchase a ticket.***At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the seemingly endless number of people critically ill or killed by the disease had cast many Long Island healthcare professionals on the front lines into emotional despair and anguish.It had become clear to the leaders of health systems across the region that many physicians, nurses and other medical staff needed to get a handle on their mental health amid a medical crisis like none they'd seen before.John Asbury reports in NEWSDAY that the burnout rate among physicians and nurses — already at the crisis stage before the pandemic began in 2020 — has continued to spike in the years ...
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    10 mins
  • Gallant concedes to LaLota

    Gallant concedes to LaLota
    Nov 5 2026
    A day after the Democratic "bluenami" came the Republican reckoning as party leaders on Long Island and beyond spoke openly yesterday about how to rebuild after stunning losses in Tuesday’s elections.Laura Figueroa Hernandez reports in NEWSDAY that Republicans, saddled by President Donald Trump’s low approval ratings and voter angst over his economic policies, lost control of both chambers of Congress this election day, lost five governorships in Republican strongholds — and on Long Island, lost five State Senate and Assembly seats and the Hempstead Town supervisor post, among other losses.While local Republican leaders, in interviews with Newsday, boasted that Nassau and Suffolk fared well compared with other swing districts throughout the United States, several said the party needed to find a new message beyond Trump’s firebrand style of politics.“The day of Trump is over,” said former U.S. Rep. Peter King, a Seaford Republican.King — who served as an adviser to Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman in his unsuccessful bid to unseat Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul — said Trump, who campaigned in New York three times on behalf of Blakeman, failed to “articulate a coherent message” to voters.Suffolk GOP chairman Jesse Garcia said despite the ground gained by Democrats, local Republicans “stopped that tsunami from hitting our shores here in Suffolk.”“Listen, did we take a little bit of water in? We did, but we fared better than many localities throughout the state of New York,” Garcia said in a phone interview.Garcia said he did not blame Trump entirely for Tuesday’s outcome, noting that “midterm elections are always difficult for the party that holds the White House,” and said the local party has always believed its strongest strategy is to focus on addressing hyperlocal concerns.King, who was a congressman of significant influence while in office from 1993 to 2021, said local Republicans moving forward should continue speaking to voters’ everyday concerns.“People want their garbage picked up, and the streets to be clean — we attend to that, we keep our eye on both the big picture and the day-to-day picture, and it’s a matter of reminding voters of what we do,” King said of Republicans.***Democratic challenger Chris Gallant conceded to Republican incumbent Nick LaLota on Wednesday afternoon in the race for New York’s 1st Congressional District seat.Brendan J. O'Reilly reports on 27east.com that LaLota currently has 152,546 votes, or 50.01 percent of the ballots counted so far. Gallant is 6,677 votes behind LaLota. Though absentee ballots postmarked by Election Day will continue to roll in, Gallant is apparently not holding out hope that absentees could turn the election in his favor.In a video posted to his social media accounts, Gallant said yesterday he had just called LaLota and congratulated him.“Last night, the voters of the First District made their decision, and I fully respect it,” Gallant said in the video.After thanking people who donated to or volunteered for his campaign and praising his campaign team, Gallant talked of the various people he got to meet while campaigning.“The things you told me about rent, property taxes, your parents’ healthcare, your kids leaving Long Island because they can’t afford to stay — those are the reasons why I ran, and those problems did not go away last night,” he said. “I’m disappointed. I’m not going to pretend otherwise. But I am also very, very proud of what we accomplished.” LaLota declared victory late Tuesday night from the stage at Stereo Garden in Patchogue, the venue for the Suffolk County GOP’s election night gathering.***There’s still another spooky, smashing good time to be had in the Town of Riverhead. Bring your jack-o-lanterns and pumpkins to the town’s Youngs Avenue yard waste facility in Baiting Hollow this coming Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. for Riverhead Town’s Pumpkin Smash — every pumpkin will be composted on site.No candles, paint or plastic parts.Saturday’s event is free and open to all ages - rain or shine!Give them one last smash at this Saturday’s Riverhead Town Pumpkin Smash from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm at the Yard Waste Facility, 532 Youngs Avenue, Baiting Hollow, NY 11933***For months, a 4.2-acre parcel of land at the corner of Peconic Road and Montauk Highway in Shinnecock Hills has sat vacant. Not far from a sign that says “Welcome to Hampton Bays, settled in 1780,” is another large sign. On a white background, in bright red letters, it reads “Development Opportunity: For Sale,” with a simple map of four subdivided lots.Cailin Riley reports on 27east.com that until recently, that piece of land, known to some as the Spellman lot, looked like it was going to become yet another tract of open space mowed down to create more houses, likely for people who would not be year-round residents. But thanks to the hard work of the Niamuck Land Trust and ...
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    10 mins
  • National Weather Service confirms early-season nor'easter will impact Long Island this weekend

    National Weather Service confirms early-season nor'easter will impact Long Island this weekend
    Sep 25 2026
    After days of debate about potential storm tracks, the National Weather Service is now certain an early-season nor'easter will impact Long Island this weekend, with strong winds and localized storm surge-related coastal flooding beginning today — and "a prolonged period of rainfall" expected to follow on its heels and continue straight into Monday.John Valenti reports in NEWSDAY that as much as 5 inches of rain could blanket Long Island, forecasters said, adding that wind gusts as high as 55 mph are expected today, adding that the strength and duration of the system will likely cause the downing of tree limbs and power lines.Beach erosion also is a key concern for all South Shore ocean beaches while the timing of the storm to a full moon and astronomic high tides will likely lead to coastal flooding on both the North Shore and South Shore.In fact, the wide range of storm-related concerns has led the weather service to issue a gale warning, coastal flood watch and advisory, wind advisory, storm warning, high surf advisory, small craft advisory, gale warning and a warning about life-threatening rip currents. Seas of 14-to-19 feet are expected in the Atlantic Ocean from Sandy Hook, New Jersey, to Montauk.The NWS said sustained winds of 20-25 mph are expected with the storm — and the resulting wind advisory is in effect from 2 p.m. Friday through 6 a.m. Sunday for Nassau, Suffolk and Queens."Gusty winds will blow around unsecured objects," the warning read. "Tree limbs could be blown down and a few power outage may result." The weather service said high-profile vehicles — trucks and SUVs — will be at risk during travel.The East End is expected to see the heaviest rainfall in coming days, while the strongest sustained winds and wind gusts are predicted along the South Shore — also stronger and with higher velocities toward the Twin Forks.***Long Islanders are sharply divided along partisan lines over a state law that bans local law enforcement agencies from signing cooperation agreements with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, according to a Newsday/Siena University poll.After New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed the Local Cops, Local Crimes Act, Nassau County in August ended its agreements with federal immigration officials. Days later, 15 upstate sheriffs filed a federal lawsuit seeking to overturn the law. Steve Hughes reports in NEWSDAY that the poll found 51% of Long Islanders oppose the NYS measure, while 45% support it. The remaining poll respondents said they didn’t know about the law.Democratic and Republican voters express equally strong levels of support and opposition in their responses. For Democrats, 75% support the law, and 74% of Republicans oppose it."You look at the party breakdown on that, and you can’t be more mirror image," said Don Levy, director of the Siena Research Institute.A majority of independent voters are against the law, with 57% opposing it and 38% supporting it.That could present an opening on the issue for Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, the Republican challenging Hochul in November, Levy said. Blakeman has argued the agreements, such as the one Nassau had, are a key public safety measure.Hochul has said the federal government has the resources it needs to enforce immigration laws and she wants law enforcement agencies in the state to focus on crime in their communities."It is quite possibly an inroad for Blakeman on Long Island," Levy said. He added that statewide, voters have expressed higher levels of support for the law than they have on Long Island.The law’s support was consistent across Nassau and Suffolk counties, with 45% and 44% indicating their support, respectively. Fifty-seven percent of younger voters, between 18 and 34 years old, support the ban.The Newsday poll was done in conjunction with the Siena Research Institute from Sept. 11-17 among 411 likely voters on Long Island. The margin of error was 5.7 percentage points, meaning answers may vary by that amount. ***If you’ve ever been to a Southold Town Board meeting, you might notice that members of the public are able to talk at length without being asked to stop. Beth Young reports in EAST END BEACON that this practice is in stark contrast to other neighboring municipalities, which generally have strict time limits on public speaking. But it turns out, Southold does have a time limit on the books — it’s just quite generous and never enforced.The Southold Town Board debated whether to enforce time limits on speaking at its work session this week, before landing on a very Southold solution — asking people nicely to respect other peoples’ time.By law, municipalities are allowed to set a minimum limit of three minutes for speakers from the general public, and five minutes from subject matter experts, said Southold Town Attorney Ben Johnson, who added that, if the town were to enforce the limit, it would be advisable to have a visible timer clock that was reset for each ...
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    10 mins
  • NYC enacts one-year moratorium on student-facing AI

    NYC enacts one-year moratorium on student-facing AI
    Sep 24 2026
    Citing the need to "protect the human connection, curiosity and creativity" in learning, New York City officials announced earlier this month that the nation's largest school system would enact a one-year moratorium on "student-facing" generative artificial intelligence from preschool through eighth grade. Companion chatbots would be prohibited across all grades and screen time limits would be imposed for students in eighth grade and below.NYS Gov. Kathy Hochul has also signaled interest in regulating how AI is used in the classroom.But Darwin Yanes reports in NEWSDAY that on Long Island, educators say AI is here to stay, and they must adapt. For some districts, that has meant incorporating AI through means like chatbots that can offer personalized lessons while others are taking a more cautious approach, studying how best to use it in the classroom.Kenneth Bossert, president of the New York State Council of School Superintendents, told NEWSDAY that each district is taking the approach that makes the most sense for its staff and students. "There are certainly districts that are at a different comfort level with how they've incorporated AI and AI platforms," he said. "Some [are] more forward-facing, directly working with students. Others [are] limiting AI resources to that used by administration and the teachers. It's definitely a time of careful investigation."Bossert, who is also the Great Neck schools superintendent, said what many districts have in common is that they restrict AI for primary school learners."As it becomes more age- and developmentally-appropriate, there's a greater exploration and greater application," he said.The Brookings Institution found in a January report that while AI could provide benefits such as saving teachers time when it came to lesson planning, grading and assessing students, it could also threaten students' safety, undermine their cognitive and emotional development and degrade trust in education. In addition to outlining the potential dangers and benefits of AI, the authors of the Brookings study recommended developing regulations to protect students' data and emotional well-being and fostering AI literacy among teachers and families.***Mostly sunny skies and breezy conditions today across Long Island will give way to thickening clouds by the evening and likely showers, along with the potential for flooding and high winds, the result of a nor'easter forming off the Atlantic coast.Forecasters said offshore winds could hit 60 mph by the weekend, bringing the potential for widespread moderate coastal flooding for southern Nassau during times of high tide Friday evening and Saturday morning, the National Weather Service said.Wind gusts will increase as the weekend gets closer, with a predicted 39 mph for Montauk today and 47 mph Friday. Offshore wind gusts will reach as high as 60 mph tomorrow.The National Weather Service has issued gale warnings on ocean waters out to more than 20 miles off the coast through Friday. Gale watches on eastern Long Island Sound and the South Shore bays were converted to gale warnings for Friday.Newsday meteorologist Geoff Bansen said while it is still too early to confirm an official weather model, the nor'easter looks like it will remain offshore with its center coming about as close as Block Island. Ocean waves could reach as high as between 7 and 10 feet, the service said.The Cross Sound Ferry canceled all trips between Orient and New London, Connecticut, due to "impending weather and sea conditions," the operator said on its website. ***A free marine wildlife conservation and safety event will be held Sunday, October 4, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Sag Harbor Fire Department, 1357 Brick Kiln Road in Sag Harbor.The event is being organized by Quincy Renaud, a Life Scout with Sag Harbor Troop 455, as part of his Eagle Scout Service Project, in partnership with Ellie Sywak, education and outreach coordinator at the Atlantic Marine Conservation Society.The event will teach community members and recreational boaters how to identify marine wildlife in distress, what to do when an animal is found and whom to contact for assistance. Attendees also can learn about sea turtle rehabilitation, receive a free boat sticker and participate in a child-friendly activity.Scouts from Troop 455, ages 11 to 17, will assist with the event.The event coincides with the Atlantic Marine Conservation Society’s 10th anniversary of rehabilitating sea turtles and responding to stranded seals and whales. It also comes following the signing of New York’s Whale Awareness Act, which adds educational guidelines for boater safety courses aimed at preventing vessel strikes.That’s Saturday, October 4 at 11 a.m. at the Sag Harbor Fire House on Brick Kiln Road.***Water quality in Long Island Sound appears to be improving, according to testing by the nonprofit Save the Sound, but many bays showed poor levels of oxygen needed to sustain marine life. The organization ...
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    10 mins